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The church is “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Pet 2:9) Since everything that God does for his children is to the praise of his glorious grace, (Eph 1:6, 12, 14) whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. (1 Cor 10:31) “And he prayed that God would give the church ‘a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus’, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Rom 15:5-6). The church, Peter writes, must also so live before the world as to invoke praise to God from outsiders: ‘Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us’. (1 Pet 2:11)

“The church then is to view itself primarily as a ‘trophy’ of God’s mercy and grace, and see its first duty to be that of living worship before God, praising him in both its belief and its behaviour for his superabounding grace. ” The chief end of the church is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. “Since man is created in God’s image, the first obligation of every man is to worship and serve the creator. (Rom 1:18-25)

First of all, we gather as a congregation to worship God because we love him, and this is what God has commanded us to do – worship God, and love man. Not all the commandments God give us to achieve this end can be done apart from being part of a local gathering of believers.

For example, some of the duties of a church include the practise of gathering as a body of believers on the Lord’s Day to build one another up; the raising of Godly children; service to needy believers; the preaching of God’s word to other believers, the exercise of spiritual gifts, Baptism and Holy Communion; and church discipline.

In light of these reasons, it is necessary to gather as a congregation if we are to lead a life that is in obedience to what God requires of his people. The church is to worship and serve God, to witness to His truth, to evangelize the world, grow the church and nurture its members, to edify one another in Christian living, exercise church discipline and ensure doctrinal purity, obey God’s commandment, to be a distinct community from that of the world, to carry out God’s commandments in Holy Communion and Baptism, to enjoy a day of rest in worshipping God with other believers, and to proclaim the kingdom of God on earth until we all come to unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God. While it is not impossible for a believer to grow in faith and knowledge without being involved in a local congregation of believers, some of the above mentioned activities require the fellowship of believers. If we are to obey God’s commandments, we should not forsake the assembly of believers.

To read more on how various aspects of Christian living can only be lived out when a believer is in the midst of a local body of believers, refer to these related questions:

- What’s the point of meeting every week. Is it from the Bible – or is it just tradition?
- What we must do if we do not want go to church?
- Can Baptism and Holy Communion only be done by the church?
- Can Christians build one another up without the church?
- What is Church Discipline and how does it work?
- Are spiritual gifts for the edification of the church or for my benefit?
- How does the church help make disciples?